A Unique Form of Revenge

I do not know very much about poker, betting on horse-racing, or any other forms of gambling. Even lottery tickets, an object both praised and scorned by many, elude my grasp, or interest. Such ignorance wouldn`t make me a prime candidate for being conned, since I would have no interest in playing the game to begin with. But lots of people like the risk associated with gambling. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose. And, sometimes, they are conned by an even more ambitious gambler.

The Sting is the definitive depiction of the ultimate con, performed in large part by Paul Newman and Robert Redford upon a nasty rackets boss played by Robert Shaw. The story begins when Redford and his cronies perform a swindle on a man, not realizing that the money they took on him was meant for the big boss. The result is that one of Redford`s friends is murdered, and Redford flees town. He finds himself in the company of Newman, a mutual friend of the dead man, and who has a reputation as being one of the best in the business. But we see him drunk and lethargic, as if his best days were behind him. Actually, he has never had the need to continue the con game... until now. Redford wants Newman`s help in enacting a little revenge upon Shaw. But it is not a violent revenge, but the ultimate con.

The con, or the "sting", used on Shaw is almost beyond description; it is so elaborate and tricky, and involves perfect timing and quick thinking from our heroes. Newman pretends to be a gambling boss, who one day plays a game of poker with Shaw and surprises him by winning all the money. Shaw is so angry he takes it out on Redford, as Newman`s errand boy, but Redford then tells Shaw that he wants his help in taking the business out from under Newman. Redford "helps" Shaw by letting him in on rigged horse races, which are announced at a phoney betting room set up by Newman, Redford and company, with the races announced by a crony in the back room. Shaw suspects nothing, and is led by the impulse of greed, and his fragile ego, until the surprise ending.

The reason this film is refreshing is because, even as violence threatens our heroes frequently, the type of revenge presented here is non-violent. Most typical revenge movies employ the eye-for-an-eye motif, but this movie does not. A key piece of dialogue is when Redford says to Newman about Shaw: "I don`t know enough about killing to kill him." and that sets the tone for the rest of the picture. We will not get mindless violence or morose attitude; instead, we receive wit and cleverness, and are well-entertained. What could have been a thriller becomes light comedy.

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